News

Armed robbers shoot driver, rape female passenger on Osun highway

Armed robbers attacked two vehicles travelling along Ife/Osu highway in Osun State, shot a driver and r@ped a female passenger.

A passenger in one of the two vehicles involved, who spoke to Punch on Thursday, September 5, 2024, said the incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday between Ife and Osu community in Osun State.

According to him, the robbers numbering about eight had stopped a commercial bus coming from Lagos and a private car. They ordered the passengers to disembark and collected various sums of money from them.

“The robbers attacked two vehicles. A bus and one private car. I was travelling on the bus. Both vehicles were coming from Lagos. We were out of Ife but yet to reach Osu community, when our vehicles were stopped by the robbers. They were about eight in number and they carried guns,” the source narrated.

“The driver of the bus was shot, but he didn’t d!e. He was injured. One of the passengers in the car, a woman was raped. They collected the money we had and our ATM cards. They made us transfer various amounts into their account. They later handed our cards to one of the gang members

“But some passengers fled into the bush while all that was going on. They told us they told some people they saw as they were wandering in the area that robbers were operating nearby and security men were mobilised to the area.

“A few minutes after the robbers left us, I saw policemen, vigilante members, and some men wearing the uniform of Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service, arriving and they began to comb the area. They arrested one of the robbers. The security men took the suspect arrested away.”

The acting PPRO of the State Police Command, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, confirmed the incident, adding that a suspect had been arrested in connection with the crime.

“The incident happened. I got a briefing about it not long ago and we were able to apprehend one suspect. He is helping our investigation,” Giwa-Alade said.

News

Yahaya Bello is not in our custody, still wanted – EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied reports claiming embattled former governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, is in their custody.

In a statement released on Wednesday, September 18, EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said the ex-governor remains wanted “for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges.”

“Media reports today that a former Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello is in the holding facility of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is incorrect. The Commission wishes to state that Bello is not in its custody.

Bello, already declared wanted by the Commission for alleged N80.2billion money laundering charges, remains wanted with a subsisting warrant for his arrest,” Oyewale said.

Earlier today, Bello’s media team released a statement claiming he had honored the invitation from EFCC.

News

Police commences investigation into officer’s altercation with Elderly woman

The Lagos State Police Command has commenced an investigation into circumstances leading to the altercation captured on video between a police officer and an elderly woman.

Preliminary investigation reveals that the incident took place in the Alagbado area of Lagos State in the first week of September 2024.

In a statement released, the spokesperson of the command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the Police Inspector and his supervising DSP have been brought in for questioning while the Complaint Response Unit has established contact with the woman in the video.

Hundeyin added that the Lagos State Police Command totally condemns the unprofessional conduct of the Inspector as it does not represent the ethics and operational standards of the Nigeria Police Force.

He stated that the command assures Lagosians that the investigation will be swift, thorough and conclusive while ensuring that the officers are disciplined as appropriate and members of the public are updated accordingly.

News

EFCC operatives storm Kogi Governor’s Lodge to arrest Yahaya Bello

In a dramatic turn of events, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly stormed the Kogi State Government Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, on Wednesday night in a mission to arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello.

According to a statement released by the Director of Media, Ohiare Michael, the operatives arrived in an aggressive manner, allegedly firing shots sporadically around the premises.

The statement noted that Bello had voluntarily visited the EFCC office earlier in the day but was told to leave and return at a later time.

“It was reported earlier that the former Governor went to the EFCC Office voluntarily, but the Commission told him to leave and come at a later date, only to mount a Gestapo-like attack on the Kogi State Government facility in Asokoro.”

The media team expressed grave concern over the manner of the EFCC‘s actions, warning that the agency should be held accountable for any harm that might come to the ex-governor.

“We want to place it on record that the EFCC should be held accountable if anything untoward happens to him,” the statement continued.

Bello’s team condemned the attack as unnecessary, stating that the former governor had already made himself available to the EFCC for questioning earlier in the day.

“Tonight’s attack was needless as the former Governor made himself available to the EFCC in their office for interrogation. The EFCC had no questions to ask Alh. Yahaya Bello in the morning, but suddenly, they are out to arrest him,” the statement said.

The media team accused the EFCC of using its powers for political purposes rather than fulfilling its mandate to combat corruption.

“This action is condemnable. They have displayed the very reason many Nigerians believe they were fighting political battles instead of the mandate to fight corruption. This action reflects much more than the fight against corruption,” the statement said.

As of now, no official statement has been made by the EFCC regarding the incident.